A lot of time and effort goes into organizing, planning and implementing an event as important as a wedding. A photographer is hired to document everything from the venue, the details, the moments and the people. Part of the planning process should include getting feedback from the photographer because they can provide a perspective that perhaps gets overlooked. For example, where exactly will the couple get married? What's in the background? Is there enough room for the photographer to circulate? Is there back lighting that makes focusing challenging? Is it in full sun? Will the arch cast a harsh shadow on part of the couple's face?
A few things to keep in mind as you plan your wedding:
Consult a photographer for placement and setup: Sometimes the area where a couple is getting married is setup with the background in mind and not the light or the traffic layout. Photography is all about lighting. If the lighting isn't ideal, it means the photos may not live up to what you envision. Part of a photographer's job is to work around these types of challenges and get the best photos possible regardless of the situation and of course there are situations where there is no flexibility. However, when there is a choice, consulting a photographer earlier in the process can set things up for the best outcome with these factors in mind. Photographers will be able to consider the angles and perspectives that will work best and provide recommendations for placement. Also, many times there is limited room and the photographer is not able to move freely to get all of the angles - showing the layout ahead of time can ensure you can maximize the opportunities.
Review the timeline: Provide a timeline ahead of the wedding. A photographer can run through the timeline and highlight any issues from their perspective. Maybe there isn't enough time allocated for a certain important element, maybe travel time wasn't taken into account, maybe there is a better way to maximize the photo opportunities and minimize the risk of missing a moment.
Day of contact person: Identify the key contact person for the event so that once on location, there is someone who can answer any questions or provide clarification to the photographer. There are always last minute changes that come up and having someone to quickly run through these ensures the day will run smoothly and everyone is on the same page.
Paparazzi guests: Remind guests that there is a professional photographer hired to capture the moments - especially during the ceremony. Well intentioned family and friends often pull out their phones to snap a few photos but it's great if you can see their faces instead.
Provide a vendor list to the photographer: Sharing the vendor list for your wedding with the photographer is helpful so that when photos are shared or posted, the relevant businesses can be tagged and credited. A lot of people work towards making a wedding day perfect, it's always a nice touch to be able to recognize these efforts.
